Samsung was shy about saying just what processor lurked inside the Galaxy S III mini, which only really told us that there wasn't an Exynos inside. The chip's creator isn't content to leave the origins a secret, however: that's an ST-Ericsson NovaThor ModAp sitting inside. The combo includes both the dual-core 1GHz processor and the cellular modem on the same chip die, helping Samsung fulfill the "mini" side of the equation while keeping the costs down. We're certainly no strangers to the NovaThor line after experiencing it in Sony's equally tiny Xperia P and Xperia U. Knowing what's inside might not allay concerns that Samsung is straining to milk the Galaxy S III brand name for all it's worth, but at least you'll know what to expect for performance if you don't go full-size.

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ST-Ericsson NovaThor ModAp Powers New Samsung GALAXY S III mini

New Samsung's AndroidTM -powered smartphone is the fourth to use ST-Ericsson NovaThor platform

Geneva, October 18, 2012 -ST-Ericsson, a world leader in wireless platforms and semiconductors, announced today that a recent addition to the award-winning Samsung GALAXY smartphone line - the Samsung GALAXY S III mini - is powered by the ST-Ericsson NovaThor ModAp platform.

"Our NovaThor platforms continue to gain traction in the market and with the new GALAXY S III mini, we add another great Samsung smartphone to the list of devices powered by ST-Ericsson," said Marc Cetto, Senior Vice President and head of Smart Platform Solutions for ST-Ericsson. "Our highly integrated NovaThor ModAp platform, integrating a modem and application processor on a single die, enables compact and efficient devices and we are very pleased that Samsung has again chosen us for its GALAXY S III mini."

About the Samsung GALAXY S III mini

The GALAXY S III mini is a compact version of the flagship smartphone GALAXY S III. The GALAXY S III mini brings the high performance, intuitive ease-of-use and nature-inspired design of the GALAXY S III to an elegant, compact smartphone with a 4.0-inch screen and is powered by Android(TM) 4.1 (Jelly Bean). It can be an optimal choice for consumers who are looking for more practical smartphones.